Russia’s Demographic Problems Sparked Series of Absurd Proposals and Even Actions in 2025, ‘Novaya Gazeta’ Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Jan. 5 – Tatyana Britskaya, head of the research department of Novaya Gazeta, compiled a list of the ten most absurd ideas that surfaced in Russia last year. Given the range from which she could choose, perhaps the most noteworthy are those which are a response to alarm about Russia’s rapidly deteriorating demographic situation.

            Among the absurd ideas proposed and the even more absurd actions sometimes taken in this area are the following (novayagazeta.ru/articles/2026/01/05/severnee-korei):

·       A proposal by one Duma deputy to shut off the internet at night so young people will focus on making babies rather than surfing the web.

·       A call by another Duma deputy to encourage victims of rape to have children anyway because God wants that.

·       An appeal by a fathers’ organization to make the walls of new high rise buildings thicker so that Russians will have more privacy and will engage in sex more often.

·       A member of the Social Chamber has urged schools and even universities to reduce the amount of class time so that Russians will have more time to make babies.

·       A Karelian music festival decided to stop handing out free condoms so that the birthrate will go up.

·       The enlightenment ministry has called for reviving school disco dancing to encourage romance and thus more children.

·       Officials in Kursk Oblast have decided to put up posters of pregnant schoolgirls to encourage others to follow their lead, something that is also being encouraged by officials in nine other federal subjects who are giving out one-time bonuses to such young women.